Inertial wheel for exercise bicycle

ABSTRACT

The inertia wheel contains a left piece having its circumference extended rightward into a first ring side wall with a left-high-right-low step between a left side of the left piece and the first ring side wall, and a right piece having its circumference extended leftward into a second ring side wall. The second ring side wall wraps the first ring side wall and a left end of the second ring side wall tightly interfaces the step of the first ring side wall. An axle tube is inserted in a first through hole and a second through hole of the left and right pieces, respectively. The inertia wheel as described is simple, robust, low-cost, low-carbon, appealing, and adaptable.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally related to exercise bicycles, and more particular to the inertial wheel used on an exercise bicycle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The inertia wheel of an exercise bicycle provides resistance to the bicycle's pedals which increases the intensity of the exercise. The design of the inertial wheel is also a major factor to the bicycle's appearance. Currently, there are three major types of inertia wheels: (1) those integrally from cast iron, which suffer slow production, high material and manufacturing cost, and the production process' not being environmentally friendly; (2) those made from plastic material by composite forming, which suffers easy deformation, low stability, and therefore limited applicability; and (3) those made by stamping and welding thin steel plates. To make an inertial wheel of the third type, the wheel body consists of two pieces and each is formed by stamping. The two pieces are then welded oppositely together. Further cutting and polishing at the welding interface is usually required. This type of inertia wheel, despite that it obviates the major drawbacks of the other two types of inertial wheels, still suffers problems such as deformation from welding, complicated production process, and higher cost.

People's Republic of China Patent No. CN201227499 discloses an inertial wheel consisting of a left casing and a right casing. The left casing is welded or riveted to the left side of a support frame and the right casing is bolted to the right side. The hollow chamber formed between the left, right casings and the support frame is filled with materials of various specific weights. This inertial wheel overcomes problems like deformation and loud noise. However it still suffers problems such as complicated structure, tedious production process, and high cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A major objective of the present invention is to provide a simple, robust, low-cost, low-carbon, appealing, and adaptable inertia wheel for exercise bicycles.

The inertia wheel contains a left piece having its circumference extended rightward into a first ring side wall with a left-high-right-low step between a left side of the left piece and the first ring side wall, and a right piece having its circumference extended leftward into a second ring side wall. The second ring side wall wraps the first ring side wall and a left end of the second ring side wall tightly interfaces the step of the first ring side wall. An axle tube is inserted in a first through hole and a second through hole of the left and right pieces, respectively.

The left and right pieces are joined mainly by the compatible first and second ring side walls. There is no need for a support frame and welding. The production efficiency therefore can be greatly enhanced and the production cost is significantly reduced.

Optionally, the left side of the left piece has a concentric first ring indentation; and a right side of the right piece has a concentric second ring indentation, matching the first ring indentation.

Optionally, an inner side of the second ring side wall has a positioning element for limiting the first ring side wall.

Optionally, the second ring side wall has a ring groove which, from the inner side, presents as a ring platform; and a left side of the ring platform forms the positioning element.

Optionally, a number of fillers of different weights are stored in a chamber formed between the left and right pieces so as to increase the weight and inertia of the inertial wheel and its applicability.

Optionally, a number of fillers of different weights are stored in a chamber formed between the left and right pieces, and between the ring groove and ring side walls

Optionally, the first and second ring side walls are of substantially the same length. The first ring side wall directly interfaces with an inner side of the right piece, and the left side of the right piece becomes the positioning element.

Please note that, alternatively, the present invention can have a right-low-left-high step on the second ring side wall, and it is the second ring side wall wrapped inside the first ring side wall. In this alternative embodiment, a right end of the first ring side wall is bended to interface tightly to the step on the second ring side wall.

Compared to the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages.

Firstly, the inertia wheel of the present invention is simple, robust, low-cost, low-carbon, appealing, and adaptable.

Secondly, the left and right pieces are joined mainly by the compatible first and second ring side walls. There is no need for a support frame and welding. The production efficiency therefore can be greatly enhanced and the production cost is significantly reduced.

Thirdly, the ring groove can help reducing material used, enhancing inertial movement, strengthening the inertia wheel, and improving stereographic effect, assuring the inertia wheel's reliability and stability.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective break-down diagram showing the various components of an inertial wheel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the inertia wheel of FIG. 1 after its assembly.

FIG. 3 is a side-view diagram showing the inertia wheel of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional diagram showing the inertia wheel of FIG. 1 if the inertia wheel is cut along the A-A line of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional diagram showing a part of the inertia wheel of FIG. 1 marked as ‘a’ in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional diagram showing an inertia wheel according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional diagram showing an inertia wheel according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, an inertia wheel according to a first embodiment of the present invention contains a circular left piece 1 and a circular right piece 2.

The left piece 1's left side has a concentric first ring indentation 11 concaved to the right. The circumference of the left piece 1 forms a first ring side wall 12. A step 121 is formed between the left piece 1's left side and the first ring side wall 12.

The right piece 2's right side has a concentric second ring indentation 21 concaved to the left, whose shape and dimension match those of the first ring indentation 11. The circumference of the right piece 2 forms a second ring side wall 22. Along the second ring side wall 22, there is a ring groove 24 which, if viewed from the inside of the right piece 2, presents as a ring platform 25. The left side of the ring platform 25 forms a positioning element 251 to limit the first ring side wall 12. As such, when the left and right pieces 1 and 2 are joined laterally together, the second ring side wall 22 accommodates the first ring side wall 12 and the second ring side wall 22's left end is bended to interface with the step 121 closely. After the left and right pieces 1 and 2 are joined, the two are riveted together.

The centers of the left and right pieces 1 and 2 are configured with matching and aligned circular through holes 13 and 23. An axle tube 3 is then placed in the through holes 13 and 23. The axle tube 3 is for an axle of an exercise bicycle to thread through.

As described above, the left and right pieces 1 and 2 are joined mainly by the compatible first and second ring side walls 12 and 22. There is no need for a support frame and welding. The production efficiency therefore can be greatly enhanced and the production cost is significantly reduced. The production process also does not produce any contaminants, conforming to current low-carbon product requirement.

FIG. 6 shows an inertial wheel according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The difference from the first embodiment lies in that fillers 4 of various weights can be stored in a chamber from between the left and right pieces 1 and 2, so as to increase the weight and inertia of the inertial wheel and its applicability. Please note that the fillers 4 can be added before or after the left and right pieces 1 and 2 are riveted.

FIG. 7 shows an inertial wheel according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the first and second ring side walls 12 and 22 are of substantially the same length and the second ring side wall 22 does not have the ring groove 24 or platform 25. In other words, the left side of the right piece 2 becomes the positioning element 221 to limit first ring side wall 12.

To assemble the inertia wheel, fillers 4 f different weights are first placed on the left and right pieces 1 and 2. Then the first ring side wall 12 is inserted into the second ring side wall 22 and the left end of the second ring side wall 22 tightly press against the step 121 of the first ring side wall 12. The axle tube 3 is then pushed into the through holes 13 and 23 and a complete inertia wheel is formed.

Alternatively, the first ring side wall 12 is inserted into the second ring side wall 22 and the left end of the second ring side wall 22 tightly press against the step 121 of the first ring side wall 12. Then, filters 4 of different weights are added through the through holes 13 and 23. Finally, the axle tube 3 is pushed into the through holes 13 and 23 and a complete inertia wheel is formed.

The fillers 4 are for increasing the weight and inertia of the inertial wheel so that it could be adapted to suit the requirement of various exercise bicycles. The inertia wheel of the present invention therefore enjoys a broad applicability

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

I claim:
 1. An inertia wheel for an exercise bicycle, comprising: a left piece having its circumference extended rightward into a first ring side wall with a left-high-right-low step between a left side of said left piece and said first ring side wall, said left piece having a central first through hole; a right piece having its circumference extended leftward into a second ring side wall, said second ring side wall wrapping said first ring side wall with a left end of said second ring side wall tightly interfacing said step of said first ring side wall, said right piece having a central second through hole; and an axle tube in said first and second through holes.
 2. The inertia wheel according to claim 1, wherein said left side of said left piece has a concentric first ring indentation; and a right side of said right piece has a concentric second ring indentation, matching said first ring indentation.
 3. The inertia wheel according to claim 2, wherein an inner side of said second ring side wall has a positioning element for limiting said first ring side wall.
 4. The inertia wheel according to claim 3, wherein said second ring side wall has a ring groove which, from said inner side, presents as a ring platform; and a left side of said ring platform forms said positioning element.
 5. The inertia wheel according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of fillers of different weights are stored in a chamber formed between said left and right pieces.
 6. The inertia wheel according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of fillers of different weights are stored in a chamber formed between said left and right pieces, and between said ring groove and said first and second ring side walls.
 7. The inertia wheel according to claim 2, wherein said first and second ring side walls are of substantially the same length; said first ring side wall directly interfaces with an inner side of said right piece; and said left side of said right piece becomes said positioning element.
 8. The inertia wheel according to claim 1, wherein an inner side of said second ring side wall has a positioning element for limiting said first ring side wall. 